Stories of Mission
Explore mission themes in our quarterly magazine as workers tell stories of making disciples in the way of Christ.
Stay informed of all the latest VMMissions news.
VMMissions Mourns the Loss of Steve Leaman
With great sadness we share the news that Steve Leaman, our dear coworker and brother, passed away suddenly on April 5. Steve was known as a hard-working and caring colleague, a lifelong learner, a devoted family man, and a faithful follower of Jesus.
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The Hands and Feet of Jesus
In the desperate tedium of a large refugee camp, we were entering a world where we would feel sorrow, joy, rage, exhaustion, frustration and happiness, all in a matter of a few hours. Every day. I have never felt more strongly that we were trying to be the hands and feet of Jesus.
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VMMissions Launches Coronavirus Immigrant Care Fund
Many immigrant families depend on their weekly check for meeting the needs of their families. The present coronavirus emergency has left many families jobless or with their work hours reduced to a minimum. This fund is a way to share God’s love with our neighbors in need.
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VMMissions Response to COVID-19
We are all living with upheaval and uncertainty due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Yet as followers of Jesus, we need not give in to fear or hopelessness. With that confidence in God, Virginia Mennonite Missions is taking a number of steps to respond to the coronavirus crisis.
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30 Seconds That Threw Lezhë Into Chaos
On November 26, 2019, Albania a 6.4 magnitude earthquake and numerous aftershocks struck Albania. The church mobilized to provide help. “I see that the Lord is revealing himself to the lost. We pray that God will be glorified and that there will be lasting fruit for God’s kingdom in Albania,” Rafael writes.
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What Does It Mean to “Do Good?”
We were ostensibly doing good work in the community, but the lack of transformative spiritual engagement left us feeling empty, dissatisfied, and questioning. This desire to see gospel transformation take root began, however, in a startling and unforeseen way.
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Bold Humility: Mission in the Way of Jesus
Contemporary attitudes toward mission are much different than the ones that gave rise to VMMissions one hundred years ago. Today, the claim that Jesus is Lord offends pluralistic sensibilities, but is sharing the gospel inherently oppressive? Not if we follow the Lord’s example.
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Gratitude to God Funds Mission
The early model of centralized funding depended on donors entrusting their God-given resources to the mission agency to use in accordance with its priorities. Later it became clear that donors wanted to give where they had involvement. A paradigm shift was needed.
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Getting On Board With Business
Business and practical professional skills are vehicles enabling the gospel to cross into places closed to traditional mission initiatives but open for business. The call is going out for people who love Jesus and believe that the marketplace is a place for the good news of the gospel.
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USA Ministries: A Story of Missionaries and Migrants
God knows how to weave good stories together to create something new and beautiful in another time and place. In this story, the puzzle pieces are missionaries and migrants, the places are Honduras and Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and the time will unfold in the telling.
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An Examen: God, Where Have You Been Present?
Now in our fourth decade of short-term missions, what have we learned at VMMissions? Are short-term mission experiences about rendering a service or surrendering to Christ? Martin Rhodes shares his own story of how a short-term assignment in Mexico shifted his focus from doing to being.
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Jason Rhodes Showalter to Join Staff as Global Ministries Director
Jason Rhodes Showalter was hired as Global Ministries Director, effective February 3, 2020. He has 15 years of experience as a cross-cultural worker with a sister Anabaptist agency, where his roles roles included orientation, mentoring, and developing strategic vision.
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